The Mutant Genesis

This is a set of eight hero decks from Mutant Genesis / Wave 6. These eight decks only require one Core Set, the Mutant Genesis Expansion box, and the six Wave 6 Hero packs. All eight can be built at once, and can be mixed and matched for multi-player games.

I learned a very valuable lesson from Sentinels of the Multiverse. Well, two lessons, if you include that I absolutely love superhero-themed, card-based, cooperative games that can also be played solo. The main lesson was this: Do not try to haul the entire collection to game night. More relevant to Marvel Champions - Never do deck building at game night.

Marvel Champions had just hooked me; I enjoyed playing it two-handed solo and wanted to try it out with my weekly gaming group. With these lessons in mind, I approached deckbuilding a little differently with Mutant Genesis and the accompanying wave of mutants. Armed with only a Core Set, Mutant Genesis, and the Wave 6 Hero packs, I constructed a series of grab-and-play decks that could be used interchangeably for 2-4 players (Probably solo, too, but I never tested them). These decks were tested against the Mutant Genesis Campaign, and all of the decks were successful in their pairings.

Cyclops, the Commander

This Cyclops deck sticks with its precon-suggested Leadership aspect. It leans into Cyclops' role as the Tactical Leader of the X-Men, focusing on playing and building powerful allies, using Tactics to weaken enemies, and providing support damage to finish off enemies that need a little more finesse to manage.

Team Leader

The game plan for this Cyclops deck revolves around building a strong Ally board state, enhancing those Allies by paying for them with Effective Leadership, giving them Danger Room Training, and then utilizing those enhanced allies for maximum impact. Lead from the Front will further buff Cyclops and his allies, to allow you to clear up the board.

Utopia pulls double duty - It increases Cyclops' stable of active allies to four, and it readies an ally to keep the pressure on. Speaking of extra readies, this deck also features Get Ready and Game Time. Don't be afraid to use your allies either - It's best that they are constantly being activated (for attack or thwart) because Cyclops will naturally be cycling through his deck, and Danger Room Training will allow you to buff any newly played allies quickly.

[Dust, Havok, and Rockslide are your heavy hitters. Beast and Phoenix can flex attack or thwart. Iceman offers some good minion control. All of these allies can be formidable, especially with the right plan in place...

Tactical Mastermind

Cyclops' Tactic suite is what makes him (and this deck) more than just an Ally-swarm deck. Each of his Tactic cards brings another layer to this deck, and understanding how each of them works best in what situations is vital to the success of any mission.

The Leadership Tactic, Coordinated Attack will help you take out those big, tough minions like Mystique, Nimrod, or a buffed Sentinel, without taking Consequential damage. Exploit Weakness and Practiced Defense help deal with the Villain or bigger minions, and Priority Target will reward you with resources for defeating an enemy. Cyclops' AE, Scott Summers, can tutor Tactic cards from your deck, and Tactical Genius lets you recur a Tactic from your discard. In a pinch, you can use these tutored or recurred Tactic cards as resources.

Field Commander further supports Cyclops' role as the Team Leader by allowing him to take his turn first, ensuring that the Villain and supporting minions are weakened for the team.

Who would Cyclops be, without his Ruby Quartz Visor? It allows him to use his Optic Blast ability at a discount, and enables his one, massive, very burst-y attack, Full Blast to clean up any leftovers his team leaves him.

The Mutant Genesis Deck Lists

• Colossus, the Immovable Object
• Shadowcat, Tiny, but Fierce
• Cyclops, the Commander
• Phoenix, the Bright Light
• Wolverine, Feral Rage
• Storm, the Natural Leader
• Gambit, Ace in the Hole
• Rogue, Steel-Fisted Magnolia